Suddenly I See
by corikane
Summary: Beca has a crush on Chloe - and it's showing.


**A/N: If I could stop writing one-shots I would - and continue that multi-chapter story I left hanging - I just can't at the moment. I'll try to be better in the future. Also: no copyright infringement intended, not with the characters, not with any part of the story that co-relates to _Pitch Perfect_, and not with the songs I'm referring to.**

* * *

"But I've never liked a girl that way... woman, I mean... whatever," Beca said into the phone and listened to the patient silence on the other end.

"Well, that doesn't mean it's not possible, Becs. You just have to go with the flow," the slightly amused male voice came back after a moment's contemplation.

"Go with the flow? Why did I call you again? You suck at giving advice!"

"Yeah, but obviously I'm the only one you can talk about this right now, or you wouldn't have called. Sucks to be you, my friend," her friend George gave back and chuckled. "Come one, Bec-ky, tell me about her."

"You know I hate when you call me that," she said and he could hear the pout in her voice.

"I thought that hottie at the radio station calls you that, too," George answered.

"Yeah, but he doesn't say it like that. He says Becky, not Bec-ky," the young woman explained, still pouting.

"Are you just stalling now?"

"Maybe."

"Come on, tell me about that redhead with the incredible voice and even more incredible blue eyes," he prodded. Beca could hear him smile over the phone and in truth she couldn't even pretend to keep a straight face herself. George had always had the ability to cheer her up, and it seemed the thoughts of Chloe had the very same effects on her - besides making her miserable and confused, of course.

"It sounds like you already know everything there is to know about her," she told him but smirked.

"As if I would believe that. You know, I've been thinking for awhile now that you might have a crush on that girl. You've been talking about her non-stop since you auditioned for those aca-Bellas."

"That's because you think everybody's gay because you are," she gave back.

"Not true. I only think everybody's got the potential to be queer. What people do with their lives is totally up to them but they will always be under close scrutiny by yours truly," he explained and then laughed. Beca joined him.

"Come on, now, you know you want to tell me."

"Alright, she's... taller than I am..."

"Everybody is," he interrupted.

"Do you wanna hear about her, or not?" she groused at him.

"Go on."

"She's... gorgeous. I think that's the best way to describe her. And I mean... all of her. She's... kind and... chipper...," Beca chuckled.

"Chipper? You hate chipper," George said.

"I know, right? I mean... I hate it when it's... fake. But Chloe's not fake. She's real and she's a good person. She's always telling everyone how great they are, how much she admires us. Aubrey's all: you failed! Chloe's: you are awesome, keep up the good work, I'm proud of you... you know what I mean?"

"Yeah, you're having a boner for that girl."

"It's called a toner, George," Beca corrected him.

"A toner, my ass. You've got it bad for the Bellas ' co-captain, that's her title, right?"

"Yeah... on both counts. It's just... how am I even... gonna tell her? Or am I even gonna tell her? Or my mom... my dad... what if...," the freshman tried to tell her friend but was once again interrupted.

"What if, nothing, babe. Remember when I came out? You told me to just do it!"

"Yeah, but everybody knew already that you were gay, George. Me... they don't know..."

"Don't be too sure about that," he countered.

"Aca-scuse me?"

"What the fuck did you just call me?"

"Sorry, it's what Aubrey always says - instead of 'excuse me.' And what are you saying? That my mom knows... I mean, what would she know? That I've got the potential to hypothetically find another woman attractive? That's a little bit vague, isn't it?"

"You're becoming quite elaborate over this, my friend. You rarely talk this much. But let me tell you, your mom is cool and she knows you, Becs. I don't think she would be shocked at all, and I don't think she would be all that surprised either. I mean, you never dated much... except for that dweep in 9th grade. You went to prom with yours truly, you had the most insane crush on Ms. Lombard the last two years of high sch..."

"WHAT! I did totally not have a crush on Ms. Lombard! That's ridiculous!" Beca's voice raised in anger.

"Is it?" George only asked, mildly amused to go by the sound of his voice. Beca wanted to tell him exactly where he could put his assumptions about that crush she was supposed to have had... but then she stopped and thought about it. Caroline Lombard had been their English teacher... and she was young, and... well, hot, according to every hormonal male teen in class... and she had liked Beca, her thoughts on literature, her passion when once roused for the subjects they were discussing. For probably the first time in her academic life, Beca had tried to impress someone with her knowledge. She also started to wear those ridiculously low cut tops to that class.

"Okay, maybe... whatever. That doesn't mean that my mom knows, or suspects. And it doesn't mean that I'm..."

"Say it," George challenged when Beca didn't continue.

"It doesn't mean that I'm gay... or lesbian. It means that I have good taste," she finally said and George chuckled.

"If you had any taste you would have gone to prom with that attractive devil, Joe Henderson," he disagreed.

"You know why he wanted to go with me. Because I had the biggest boobs in class," she grumbled.

"Which you displayed quite willingly to Ms. Lombard whenever you leaned forward in her class. Coy Ms. Beca Mitchell making a pass at her teacher, just imagine that," her best friend was having far too much fun with this.

"I wasn't making a pass at her," Beca protested.

"You just tempted her with your forbidden fruits. I wonder if that woman got any sleep at night or if she was having nightmares of your boobs smothering her." George was laughing at the image.

"I think I had enough of this conversation now," Beca informed him and he stopped laughing immediately.

"Aw, come on, Becs, don't be an angerball."

"I'm not, it's just... Ms. Lombard isn't exactly my problem anymore - if she ever was. She was cute, hell, she was hot but... what am I even saying?"

"You're saying that you're finally acquiring a sexuality. Congratulations, child, it's about time. College has done its job, now do yours and ask the gorgeous woman out," George advised.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because she would say no," Beca reasoned.

"That's no reason to not ask, and you can't know that until you asked," George gave back.

"But I do know. She's not into me. I'll just have a ridiculous crush on her and get over it. It can't be that hard," the freshman insisted.

"Oh, yeah? How long have you tried now? I mean, you haven't just found out about this today and called me right away, right? Knowing you, and I know you pretty well - not in a biblical sense - you've been brooding over this for at least... two, no, make that three and a half weeks."

The line went eerily quiet as he waited for his friend to answer.

"I'm point blank, am I?"

"You scare me," she told him and sighed.

"Ask her out, Becs," he then said.

"No." And this made him sigh.

"Okay, then at least think about asking her out," he compromised and was once again met with silence. "Becs?"

"I'll think about it but do me a favor?"

"Anything," he answered and already knew he shouldn't have said that. Beca ran a tough bargain.

"You're not telling anyone about this. Not Frankie, not your mom and most definately not my mom! Not a soul... not even anyone without a soul. Understood?"

"There's one thing you'll never catch me do, Becs, and that's outing another person. So, no, I won't tell anyone," he earnestly answered.

"Thank you."

They didn't talk about much else that evening, he just told her how his boyfriend and his family were. And he also told her how her own mum was since he was still living near and sometimes visited Grace. Beca hadn't seen her mom since she had started college and she missed her. They talked on the phone at least once a week but it just wasn't the same as having her mom in her room and being able to tell her things. George was right, though, her mom was cool, and she would probably not freak out over the news that her daughter liked another woman. At least that was what Beca liked to think, she wasn't sure if these things were always so easy as we wished them to be.

* * *

The next afternoon, Beca sat in the bleachers in their rehearsal room listening to a mix she had been working on the last few days. It consisted of Kim Carnes' _Bette Davis' Eyes _- which she knew Chloe liked - and _Call Me Maybe _- which in truth nobody liked but could only be improved on. It wasn't yet perfect, there was, in fact, something wrong with it that Beca couldn't quite catch. The music fit rather well, the 80s classic lend really well to mixing and she had used her own voice for both songs. Still, something was missing, or maybe there was something in it that shouldn't be, Beca wasn't sure. And it frustrated her.

Voices broke into her musings as three Bellas entered, Aubrey wondering aloud why the door hadn't been locked.

"... I'm going to make a sign that says 'Lock the fucking door, aca-bitch!' They can't keep forgetting it or the next thing we know someone's stealing..."

"Hey, Beca," Chloe interrupted her best friend and waved at the brunette who sat about half-way up in the bleechers. Aubrey looked up, frowning.

"Did you break in here?" she asked her fellow Bella in that unpleasant snap she reserved for Beca alone.

"No, I didn't. I came here as the Harmonics left and told them I would defend your blackboard with my life, if anyone came here with a mind of stealing it," Beca dead-panned and saw Chloe hide a grin behind her hand. She smiled at the redhead as Aubrey raised an eyebrow first at her then at her friend.

Amy who had entered with the two captains walked up the stairs and looked down at what Beca was doing on her laptop.

"What's this? Uhhh, looks like more awesome music from our favorite DJ," she said and made a scratching sound. "Let's hear it."

"Let's not. Instead let us rearrange these chairs. The Harmonics always leave everything in a mess," Aubrey groused and then started to arrange the chairs in a perfect half-circle. Chloe was helping but called out to Beca.

"Play it, maybe it'll put Bree in a better mood." She smiled up at the small brunette and Beca felt her heartstrings vibrate. She fidgeted nervously with her fingers over the keys, unsure of what to do. Fortunately for her, Aubrey took offense at Chloe's words.

"I'm not in a bad mood, and I doubt that one of Beca's mixes would put me in a better one if I was," she said, straightening indignantly after finishing her task.

"It's not yet finished, anyway," Beca said.

"Come on, it's probably totally awesome. A-ca-n't wait to hear it!" Amy poked her in her arm. Chloe only smiled up at Beca, leaving the decision to the freshman.

Beca sighed dramatically:

"Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you, Amy." And then she hit play. At first they heard nothing, then Beca remembered that her headphones were still attached to her laptop and pulled them out. The low guitar-beats of _Bette Davis' Eyes _filled the auditorium as Beca turned her laptop to the room. She saw Chloe's eyes instantly light up and her smile got impossibly bright. She started moving to the beat, at first not even hearing the first notes of _Call Me Maybe_ until Beca's voice sang the lyrics.

"Uhhh, yeah," she made and started dancing. She took Aubrey's hands in hers and started moving at her. Aubrey roled her eyes but then also moved, a little more restrained - in an Aubrey-fashion, so to speak. Amy laughed and rocked in the chair beside Beca.

"She's got Bette Davis' eyessss," came from the loudspeakers just as more Bellas came through the door. At first, Cynthia Rose, Jessica and Ashley didn't know what was going on but then they saw Chloe and Aubrey dancing and simply joined them. CR waved at Beca and the brunette nodded self-confidently. The song just seemed to improve as she saw her friends dancing to it.

Then it was over and for a moment there was silence, before Chloe said:

"That was amazing, that was... whooo-hooo!" She laughed and that made Beca laugh and blush slightly.

"That was alright," Aubrey said and tried to hide her smile as she nodded at the brunette with her laptop. "Maybe you could give me a couple of mixes and I could listen to them. Just... to see what it is you're doing. I'm not saying we're gonna use any of it, I'm not making promises," she said and looked first at Beca then at Chloe with a meaningful look. Chloe chuckled.

"Okay," she grinned and then turned toward Beca and giving her two thumbs up behind Aubrey's back. Beca giggled, Chloe's mood was - as always - contagious.

* * *

Beca couldn't keep her eyes in check during this rehearsal, they strayed inevitably to Chloe. Her ears picked up her high notes out of their merging voices - it was impossible for Beca to concentrate on anything but Chloe. And this certainly showed in her choreo.

"Beca, try to keep up, will you?" Aubrey called to her as she snapped her fingers to the rhythm. And Beca did try - for a couple of seconds - but then Chloe invaded her senses again and she seemed to forget completely where she was and the next thing she knew, she walked headlong into Amy.

"Oh, excuse me," Amy mumbled as Beca fell backwards and on her behind.

"Damn it, Beca. Are you trying to sabotage the routine now?" Aubrey stood over her, frowning at her once again.

"No, I...," but she couldn't tell Aubrey that she had been staring at Chloe's ass when she had taken the wrong turn right into Amy.

Aubrey rolled her eyes and held her hand out to Beca. She pulled her up and the DJ stretched, rubbing her backside.

"Is it broken?" her captain asked sarcastically. "Why don't you sit down for a minute while we try to get through the routine without you - just pay attention, okay?" Aubrey sighed and clapped her hands for the Bellas to get back into position.

"I think I strained my boob when Beca ran into me, I should probably sit down, too," Amy murmured but only earned a raised eyebrow from the tall captain which told her that it was not a good idea. "Or maybe not. No, it's nothing really."

They started singing and dancing again, the moves and the songs melting into a perfect - albeit boring - routine.

Beca was trying hard not to stare at Chloe now that she got the audience's view of the whole number and failed miserably. Chloe just seemed to be there, her face concentrated, her movements fluid and perfect. She was so beautiful, even doing this half-baked nonsense of a routine.

Beca didn't even realize the goofy grin on her face, or the way her eyes stayed with Chloe's every move but others did. CR elbowed Stacie and pointed at the DJ with a head-nod. Stacie looked at Beca and grinned when she caught at whom the brunette was staring. Most Bellas seemed to have caught on when the song ended but nobody said a word when Aubrey clapped her hands and asked Beca to join them again. She wasn't anymore concentrated than before, in fact, watching Chloe had put her in a slightly dazed condition but Aubrey pushed through the routine once again - mainly ignoring Beca's blunders.

"Alright, everyone, that'll be all for today. I made you a list of songs you might wanna listen to over the weekend. I want to include at least two of them into our repertoire and want your input on which songs you like best," Aubrey pulled out a stack of sheets from her bag and handed them to everyone. Then she started to methodically put away her things as everyone started filing out of the room. Beca put her laptop away when she felt someone tap her on her back. She turned and looked at Chloe who smiled at her.

"I would like to talk to you for a minute. If that's okay?" the redhead asked.

"Sure, yeah," Beca agreed.

"I'll just talk to Aubrey and tell her we'll lock up later." She nodded and Chloe walked over to Aubrey, talking to her in low tones. Aubrey raised her eyebrows at Chloe's words then looked over at Beca with a frown.

"I won't be long," the freshman caught Chloe saying and saw the blonde nod at the words.

"Just make sure, it's properly locked. It sometimes hitches a little, just push it closed and then turn the key, okay?" Aubrey advised as she gave the key to Chloe and then settled her bag over her shoulder.

"Will do," Chloe said and nodded as she watched her best friend leave the auditorium. Then she turned to Beca and smiled. "Let's sit down." She took a chair and patted the one next to her, crossing her legs. Beca did as Chloe asked her, fidgeting once again with her hands and not looking up at the redhead.

"What did you wanna talk about?" she asked when Chloe wasn't saying anything.

"You've been staring at me."

"What?!" It made Beca look up and into the calm blue seas that were Chloe's eyes. There was no judgement, only a question lingering in their depths.

"You've been staring at me during the whole rehearsal. Don't think I haven't noticed - and don't think the others haven't either," Chloe informed Beca in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.

"I... I... sorry, I didn't... I..." Beca blushed and lowered her eyes back to her hands which clutched each other in desperate need to hold onto something. Her mind raced and her pulse beat rapidly in her neck.

"It's okay, Beca. I'm not offended, or anything. I'm flattered," she smiled and leaned forward to nudge the younger woman with her shoulder.

"Flattered?"

"Sure... I mean, you could have been a little bit more discreet... especially with everyone else around but it's very sweet to be admired that way."

Beca didn't dare looking up at Chloe. She knew the redhead was smiling, she had heard it in her voice, but she felt like the biggest fool in the universe right now and Chloe shouldn't be smiling at her at all. She should just tell Beca that there wasn't a chance in hell that they would... or that she could... or anything at all, whatever that involved. Because Beca didn't even know what she wanted exactly, besides staring at Chloe's multiple assets.

"I'm sorry, I... I shouldn't..."

"Why not?"

"Because... God, you must think I'm a freak!" Beca exclaimed.

"A freak? Why? Because you like looking at women, because you like women... I'm not a phobe, Beca. You should know that by now... I mean..." Chloe seemed speechless because she became indignant over what the brunette was insinuating.

"No, not... God, I just... I don't know why I'm doing it... I just... I can't help it," Beca back-pedalled and looked up at Chloe, her desperation and confusion obvious in her eyes.

"Is this... I mean, is this the first time you... stared at another woman that way?" Chloe carefully phrased the question. She didn't even realize that her hand strayed toward Beca's leg and that her fingers were rubbing at the rough material of her jeans but Beca was very aware of it and found it distracting.

"I... may have had a crush on a teacher once," she admitted what she had talked to George about only the day before.

"And did you do anything about it?"

"What should I have done, she was my teacher?" Beca asked incredulously

"Teachers are humans, too," Chloe simply said and shrugged.

"I didn't," the brunette said. Chloe nodded. "I... I mean, I've only dated one guy in high school and... well, I thought I'd hook up with Jesse... but he's... kind of annoying at the moment, so... I just..."

"You find me attractive," the redhead said and Beca blushed again. She tried to come up with an explanation or a denial but no words came out of her mouth. "It's okay, Beca. I just... if you feel that way why didn't you say anything?"

"Because... because I don't do that. I... I can't... I'm an idiot!" She finally surmised and looked around the room. She didn't want to talk about this anymore, she just wanted to go back to her dormroom and bury herself in her pillows for the next three years. That was the amount of time she felt would be necessary to pass for her to recover from this embarrassment.

"No, you're not. You're shy and there's nothing wrong with that. I don't even have that good an excuse," Chloe said. Her fingers were still rubbing at Beca's pantleg and the brunette only now caught onto the fact that Chloe seemed a little nervous.

"Excuse? Why would you need an excuse?" she wondered at the redhead's words.

"Because I'm not shy and I still haven't told you... that I like you." Beca looked up instantly. Was she hearing what she thought she was hearing? No. No, no, no. This couldn't be true... Chloe was way out of her league and they both knew it... and even if not... what if they... or maybe... or not.

"You what?"

"I like you, Beca. I... have since... well, pretty much since I saw you at the fair. And I haven't told you because... I thought you liked guys. Most girls do... well, I shouldn't have assumed and I'm sorry," Chloe said.

They looked at each other, Chloe seemed still a little nervous but also confident in her feelings, Beca just stared in wonder.

"Really?" she asked.

"Really," the redhead answered. Beca nodded slowly, trying to convince herself that this was indeed so and that it was okay. Her hand finally touched Chloe's which was still resting on her leg, halting her movements.

"Would you... go out with me?" She then asked and Chloe's face lit up in a bright smile.

"Yes," she answered immediately. She leaned into Beca, her nose touching the brunette's cheek and nudging it. "I'd love to go out with you."

"Okay, good. Then we do that," Beca said, smiling a very small but slightly wicked smile.

The end.

* * *

**Songs: _Suddenly I See_ by K.T. Tunstall, _Bette Davis' Eyes_ by Kim Carnes, _Call Me Maybe_ by Carly Rae Jepson.**


End file.
